Participation: 51 companies and 3662 new and incumbent workers were served by the Job Skills Program between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.
*Projected number. Some of the projects started in FY2016 are continued into FY2017. Final trainee count for the biennium will be available in the fall.

Who is Served: Prospective and current employees of a business receiving a Job Skills Program (JSP) grant are eligible for training. Eligible businesses and industries include private firms and institutions, groups, or associations concerned with commerce, trade, manufacturing, or service provisions. Public or nonprofit hospitals are also eligible.

Program Description: JSP brings together employers and educational institutions to provide customized employee training. State JSP funds, combined with employer match, support four types of training:

New employee training for prospective employees before a new plant opens or when a company expands.

Current employee retraining when retraining is required to prevent the dislocation of those employees.

Current employee upgrading, enhancing productivity for advancement opportunities with greater skills and responsibilities.

Industry initiatives supporting development of customized training programs for several companies within an industry.

Other Program Characteristics: JSP coordinates economic development with workforce training and supports local industry clusters whenever possible. JSP resources are concentrated where there is a shortage of skilled labor to meet employers’ needs; in economically disadvantaged areas with high unemployment rates; in areas affected by economic dislocation; and in areas with new and growing industries.

Program History: The state Legislature created JSP in 1983.

Planning Cycle: Biennial

Outcome Measures: Applicants must:

Identify the elements on which trainees will be evaluated to ensure satisfactory completion of the training objectives.

Describe the expected results of the training project as they relate to the business need, when the results might be expected, and how they will be measured.

Funding and Regional Division: JSP is a statewide program. Eligible applicants include any public secondary or postsecondary institution, independent institution, private career school, or college in the state, including community and technical colleges, secondary vocational programs, public colleges or universities with degree granting authority, and apprenticeship trusts. Also eligible are private, for-profit, or nonprofit institutions offering programs beyond the secondary level provided that such institutions are registered with the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board or the Higher Education Coordinating Board or meet legal requirements for exemption from this requirement.

State Funding: $5,450,000 (July 1, 2015-June 30, 2017).

Federal Funding: None.

Statutory Authority: State - RCW 28C.04.400. Administered by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.